Study looks at older workers, caregiving

Published Aug 8, 2014 at 12:04AM

A recent AARP study found 17 percent of workers who are 50 or older have had to take time off from their jobs so they could take care of an adult family member in the past five years. In addition, 21 percent of older workers anticipate they’ll have to take time off from their jobs to be caregivers in the next five years.

The survey also found most older workers stay at their jobs because of financial reasons — 96 percent said it was because they need the money, 89 percent because they need to save more for their retirements, and 80 percent so they could pay their or their family members’ health care costs — while 92 percent said they continue to work because they enjoy their job and 83 percent said it was because the work makes them feel useful.